Time between connecting flights

[disprincesspatty]

What do you feel is a safe amount of time between connecting flights? Considering delays, do you think an hour layover is safe or would you book a flight with a longer layover. Also does anyone know if airfare tends to go down after the Holidays or would you book for a May trip ASAP?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

An hour between flights should be plenty of time.

As for buying tickets, do some research and determine what a good fare would be, Then keep watching for it and buy when the price is right.

 

[Lewisc]

Airlines have a minimum time for a "legal connection" that varies by airport. I wouldn't worry if you're booking the connecting flight through the airline. If you're concerned don't book a flight so late in the day that if you miss your connecting flight there aren't any later flights to take.

 

[bicker]

It really does depend on the airport though, and even on the type of aircraft. I'd have no problem with a 35 minute connection in Pittsburgh, jet to jet, but I'd insist on at least an hour connection in Philadelphia, jet to puddle jumper.

 

[SoarinJ]

It really does depend on the airport though, and even on the type of aircraft. I'd have no problem with a 35 minute connection in Pittsburgh, jet to jet, but I'd insist on at least an hour connection in Philadelphia, jet to puddle jumper.

Completely agree - it really depends on the Airport. If you post what aiport you will be connecting in, I am sure people here wold be happy to give you a "safe" connection time.

 

[disprincesspatty]

We will be connecting through Atlanta, leaving out of Baltimore

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Through Atlanta, if your on an inbound flight operated by Delta I would say 30 mins is more the sufficient. If you are flying AirTran however, 15 mins will do the job as they share one terminal...

 

[bgirl29]

Sorry to disagree with the pp but through Atlanta I would want at least an hour. Granted this was a couple years ago but my sister and I had an hour and after circling the airport for 20 minutes, we had to RUN through the airport to try to make out connection. We flew Delta. Don't know if we were there at very busy time but it was hard to navigate through all of the crowds at some points. It was the middle of October.

 

[DebbieB]

I agree an hour through Atlanta, you may have to switch terminals and it's always crowded. AirTran has some gates on C and some on D, they are not always the same terminal.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I would never book a connecting trip with less than an hour layover, if I could possibly help it. There are so many variables when it comes to your flight being on time that most people don't even think about... conditions at BOTH origin and destination airport, if your aircraft arrives on time from its previous leg, crew legality, crew presence, gate availability, ATC delays, curfews, weather, you name it. An hour will give you that cushion you need and allow you the time to stretch your legs a bit, buy a meal, etc.

When I travel in the winter, I will always pick flights where I can connect in 2 hours or more. Yes, it does add time to my trip... but it also adds peace of mind. YMMV

 

[DebbieB]

Keep in mind if you checked luggage, not only do you have to make the connecting flight, the luggage does too.

 

[bavaria]

Excellent point Debbie - the only time my luggage did not arrive this year, I had a 40 min Intl to Domestic connection at LAX, an airport I know very well. While I was able to run through 2 parkades and pass through security in record time (my inbound flight was actually 20 minutes late, leaving me 20 minutes to connect) there was no way that my luggage was going to make it.

In fact, other passengers connecting on the same flights did not make it either - I was in row 1 on the inbound, and knew exactly where to go. I didn't have any other reasonable way to book the connection, but am going to avoid that next time I travel the same route (in a few weeks)

You need to factor in change of terminals, passing through security again, and for intl travel often customs and immigration. What may work once may not work again.

 

[duckhere]

I've decided that an hour just isn't enough for us in Atlanta. Next trip if I have any type of layover we'll try for at least 2 hours. At least that way we have time for drink/bathroom stops and are not literally running through the terminals to make the next flight.

 

[halld6479]

we just came back after taking our first flight and we had 45 minute at Atlanta on airtran, we made it but there was no potty or smoke time right off one plane to the next. But on both trips we set waiting for others coming from connecting flights they said, we set almost 30 minutes longer for them to get there.